Improvement in butter-packages



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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIGE.

- CHARLES H. ROBISON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUTTER-PACKAGES.

v Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 209,136, dated October 22, 1878 application filed May 8, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. RoBIsoN,

of Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and and complete description thereof, reference bein g had to the accompanying drawings, making apart of the same.

Figure 1 is a side view of the butter-pack- Fig. 2 is avertical section. Figs. 3 and 4 are detached sections. Fig. 5 is a detached section of the cover, showing its construction.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several views.

The above-said butter-package consists of an external cylindrical case or canister, provided with a close-fitting cover, in the center of which is an opening fitted with a screw-cap. for obtaining access to the inside of the canister without removing the cover. Within said canister are arranged a series of wooden rings or hoops, superimposed one above the other. Between said rings are respectively interposed disks of wood, forming tops and bottoms for the rings, thereby making of each ring a box or package. Provision is also made for testing the contents of the several boxes in the canister without removing them therefrom, by employing perforated disks between the several boxes, as well as a non-perforated one at the bottom of the series, substantially as hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings, A represents the canister above alluded to, which may be constructed of sheet metal, and of any desirable holding capacity. B is the cover, made to be close-fitting; and G, the central opening, covered by a screw-cap, D, screwed on over the tube of the opening, and made air-tight, as also should be the cover when in practical use. Within said canister are arranged the rings 1, 2, 3, and 4, as shown in Fig. 2, in which it will be seen that they consist of a'thin piece of material, wood being preferred. The ends of the strip of wood of which the ring or box is made are brought together and sewed, as seen at a, or

ily placed therein or taken out, as the case may be, and to allow the brine to circulate.

It will be observed that between the first ring and the bottom of the canister is interposed a bottom piece of wood, E, forming a bottom to the ring 1 and that between the first and the second ring is interposed a disk of wood, F, forming a top to the ring 1 and a bottom to the ring 2; also, between the second and third ring is interposed a disk, G, forming a top or cover to the ring 2 and a bottom to the ring 3. So, also, between the rings 3 and 4 is interposed a disk for a like purpose, and so on for as many rings as a canister may be capable of holding.

The lower disk, E, is without a central opening, whereas the several disks above it are perforated with holes I, the purpose of which will presently be shown.

The manner of filling the canister with butter is as follows: The inner surface of the canister is first treated with a coating of paraffine and bees-wax, or with either of them or their equivalents, to prevent the metal from rustin g. On the bottom thereof is then laid a disk of wood, E. The ring 1, holding a pound of butter, is now placed upon the disk E, and thereon is laid the cover or disk F; Upon said disk is placed another ring with butter, which, in like manner, is covered by a disk, G, upon which again is imposed another ring with butter, and so on until the canister is full of rings of butter of one pound each, or more or less, as the size of the rings may be capable of holding, which rings may be more or less in number, according to the holding capacity of the canister. rings of butter, is then closed with the cover B, which is made air-tight by any suitable means. Into the canister is now poured, through the opening 0, a quantity of brine .or its equivalent, filling all the interstices in and about the rings of butter contained therein, which when done, the cap is then screwed on and made air-tight, thereby completing the package of butter.

The purpose of the holes in the several disks above alluded to is to enable the buyer to test the condition of the butter by inserting a tester down through the several rings to the bottom The canister, when filled with of the canister, as is usually done in ordinary packages, so'that all the layers of butter may he tested.

The canister or package herein described is represented as cylindrical in shape, but, however, may be made square or of other forms without changing the essential features of the invention.

The upper disk, H, may be imperforated for the purpose of wholly covering the contents of the box or hoop, so that on removing the cap or the cover it may be protected from dirt and exposure to the air.

In the event it becomes desirable to test the several layers or hoops of butter without removing the cover, the cap D is screwed oil, and by insertin g some instrument through the opening (3 the disk can be perforated for introducing the tester.

To prevent the several'boxes of butter from rising upward in the canister, pieces or blocks of wood, J, are laid across the top of them immediately under the cover, so that on. forcing on the cover said cover will press upon the blocks and hold down the several boxes, thereby preventing them from getting loose in the canister and their contents from wasting.

I do not claim, broadly, a vessel capable of holding liquid and containing therein a series of rings superimposed one above another, and interposed between them pervious partitions; but the distinguishing features of my invention consist of a package or canister having a close-fitting cover with an opening therein, provided with acap or suitable device for closing said opening. The object of the opening is to permit an examination of the contents of the canister without removing the cover for that purpose. To this end the top and intermediate of the disks are perforated to admit a tester for the above-said purpose.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

An improved butter-package consisting of the case A and cover B, provided with an opening and a suitable device for closing the same, in combination with a series of rings or hoops arranged therein one above the other, and having interposed between said rings disks provided with perforations I I, substantially as and for the purpose described.

CHARLES H. ROBISON. 

